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Thirty-nine percentage of hands who suffer sex with men surveyed in New York City during the past class had not disclosed their sexual orientation to their physicians, according to data from the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene that was promulgated in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the New York Times' "City Room" reports. According to health officials, the study's findings have implications for HIV prevention efforts because the survey constitute that MSM who disclosed their sexual behavior were twice as likely as MSM wHO did non to be tested for the virus.
The survey examined data from the National HIV Behavioral Survey conducted in 2004 and 2005 by CDC. The New York City constituent of the data convoluted 452 work force who were interviewed anonymously at gay bars and clubs, tried for HIV, and offered medical and social services if needed. According to the survey, 63% of MSM world Health Organization disclosed their sexual conduct to their physicians were tested for HIV, compared with 36% of MSM who did not. The survey too found that although 78% of MSM who identified themselves as homosexual aforesaid they had discussed their sexual orientation with their physicians, none of the MSM world Health Organization identified themselves as epicene had.
The survey too found racial and ethnic differences in disclosure rates, with 60% of black-market MSM saying they had not discussed their sex with their doctors. This compared with 48% of Hispanic MSM, 47% of Asian MSM and 19% of flannel MSM. In addition, around three-quarters of MSM world Health Organization identified themselves as bisexual were black and Hispanic. According to Monica Sweeney, assistant health commissioner for HIV prevention and restraint, the survey's findings reflect the stigma against MSM behavior in some minority populations. "There is a frequent phenomenon in the black community in which a man who is gay, by the formal ways that we all know to identify mortal as braw, identifies himself as epicene," Sweeney aforesaid (Chan, "City Room," New York Times, 7/23). Elizabeth Begier, the city's director of HIV epidemiology, aforementioned, "It's a combination of people beingness less comfortable with the term 'gay' or 'homosexual,' and discrimination they perceive they will feel if they are undetermined about their sexual experiences and attractions."
In addition, the survey establish that about half of men jr. than eld 28 had discussed their sexuality with their doctors, compared with 69% of older hands (Lite, New York Daily News, 7/24). MSM born in the U.S. were more potential than immigrants to hash out their sexual practices, and those with more education had higher disclosure rates than those with less education, according to the survey.
In reaction to the survey, health officials called on patients to be more forthcoming, as well as on physicians to inquire about sexual history. "Health care providers should screenland patients routinely for HIV," Begier aforesaid, adding, "They should also ask their patients around behavior that may put them at risk. And New Yorkers shouldn't waver to talk openly with their wellness care providers" ("City Room," New York Times, 7/24). Sweeney aforementioned that as a "group, doctors go wrong miserably" at asking patients about their sexual histories. "People were not reluctant to lecture once you brought it up," she said, adding, "They're reluctant to lead up, but in one case you convey up highly emotional issues, patients volition talk around it if you're non judgmental" (New York Daily News, 7/24). Gay Men's Health Crisis Executive Director Marjorie Hill said that although she is "distressed" by the survey's findings, she is not "at all surprised." She added, "Medical providers are not sufficiently trained in outreach and betrothal with queer, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people" ("City Room," New York Times, 7/23).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You hindquarters view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for e-mail delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.
